The Complete Tarot Guide
Everything you need to understand tarot: how it works, the 78 cards, reading spreads, and what a professional session actually looks like.
· 5 min read · Editorial standards
What Is Tarot?
Tarot is a deck of 78 illustrated cards. The first decks were made in 15th-century Italy for a card game; reading the cards for divination took hold in France in the late 18th century, and today they are used mostly for reflection and guidance. Contrary to a common belief, a reading is not about predicting a fixed future. It describes your current situation and the options open to you.
A tarot card doesn't tell you what will happen. It reflects what is happening beneath the surface: half-noticed patterns, unresolved tensions, strengths you haven't used yet, and decisions that carry particular weight. In the hands of an experienced reader, a spread becomes a mirror.
"The cards do not lie, but they speak in symbols. Learning to listen is the work."
— Ece Kamer
The Structure of a Tarot Deck: 78 Cards
Every tarot deck contains exactly 78 cards, divided into two groups with distinct but complementary roles:
Major Arcana
22 Cards
These are the "big picture" cards: major life themes, karmic lessons, turning points and archetypal figures. When they appear in a reading, they point to events or inner shifts of real importance.
The Fool · The Magician · The High Priestess · The Empress · The Emperor · The Hierophant · The Lovers · The Chariot · Strength · The Hermit · Wheel of Fortune · Justice · The Hanged Man · Death · Temperance · The Devil · The Tower · The Star · The Moon · The Sun · Judgement · The World
The numbering here follows the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, where Strength is 8 and Justice is 11; older Marseille-pattern decks swap the two. In the Golden Dawn tradition each of these cards is also linked to a planet, a zodiac sign or an element: The Magician to Mercury, The Emperor to Aries, The Star to Aquarius.
Minor Arcana
56 Cards · 4 Suits
These 56 cards cover everyday life: emotions, thoughts, actions and material circumstances. They are divided into four suits of 14 cards each (Ace through 10, plus four Court Cards). In the same Golden Dawn system, each numbered card from 2 to 10 belongs to a ten-degree slice of a zodiac sign; the Two of Wands, for instance, is Mars in Aries, roughly 21 to 30 March.
- Wands – Fire · passion, ambition, creativity, drive
- Cups – Water · emotions, relationships, intuition
- Swords – Air · thought, conflict, clarity, truth
- Pentacles – Earth · material life, work, stability
How Does a Tarot Reading Work?
A professional tarot reading follows a deliberate process. It begins with a clear question and the reader's full attention on the person asking it (the querent). Cards are drawn and laid out in a specific pattern called a spread, and each position in the spread has a designated meaning (past, present, future; self, situation, outcome, etc.).
The reader then interprets each card individually, in relation to its position, and in dialogue with the other cards in the spread. A skilled reading is not a mechanical recitation of card keywords; it combines symbolic knowledge, intuition and genuine attention to what the querent is going through.
Common Tarot Spreads
Three-Card Spread
Past · Present · Future. The most versatile spread: quick and flexible. Ideal for a single focused question.
Celtic Cross
10 cards exploring a situation from multiple angles: core issue, challenges, past influences, future potential, and final outcome.
Relationship Spread
Explores the dynamics between two people: how each person feels, what each brings to the connection, what sits between them, and where it is heading.
Decision Spread
For crossroads moments: each path is laid out with its likely consequences, hidden influences, and what you need to know before choosing.
What Topics Can Tarot Address?
Tarot works for most everyday questions. The most common topics in professional sessions are:
It is the wrong tool for medical, legal or financial decisions. Those need a doctor, a lawyer or a financial adviser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tarot the same as fortune-telling?
Not in the traditional sense. Fortune-telling implies a fixed future being revealed. Tarot, as practised by a skilled reader, shows current tendencies; what happens next is still shaped by your choices. Think of it as a mirror, not a crystal ball.
Do I need to believe in tarot for it to work?
You don't need to "believe" in any mystical sense. An open, curious mindset is enough. Many clients who approach tarot skeptically find genuine value in the reflective process: the cards consistently surface themes and patterns that match their real situation.
Can reversed (upside-down) cards be good?
Yes. Reversed cards often mean that the card's theme is blocked, turned inward or showing up differently, not necessarily negatively. A reversed Tower might mean a crisis is being handled internally rather than playing out in the open. Context and the full spread always matter.
How often should I get a tarot reading?
There's no fixed rule. Some people book monthly; others come at specific turning points: relationship changes, career decisions, or when feeling stuck. Ece generally recommends waiting until a prior reading has "settled" before booking again.
How do I prepare for a professional tarot reading?
Come with a genuine question or theme in mind, even a broad one like "I'd like clarity on my relationship" or "What do I need to focus on right now?" The more honest and open you are, the more specific and useful the reading will be. No special preparation is required.
Ready for Your Reading?
Book a professional tarot session with Ece Kamer via WhatsApp. Sessions in Turkish and English, online from anywhere.